Jeff Campf is a horse rider and coach in Canby, Oregon, with over four decades of equestrian experience. A winner of multiple hunter and jumper titles and awards, Jeff Campf has trained horses for competitions such as grand prix events and the World Championship Hunter Rider.
When training your horse, being aware of signs of stress is essential. A stressed horse is more susceptible to accidents, bad behavior, and numerous health issues. As with all horse training, it is good to remember that bad behavior or poor performance is not the horse’s fault - once the source of stress is removed, its disposition and health should return to normal.
A well-known sign of stress in horses is trembling, which a horse will often do when its source of stress is in its line of sight - be that a veterinarian, herd mate, or other individual or object it doesn’t like. This sign of stress is obvious because horses share this element of body language with humans. One area in which they differ is in yawning. When a human yawns, its purpose is to create a brain chemical that alleviates drowsiness, but in horses it causes a release of endorphins that allow it to vent stress. A horse that is yawning a lot is probably stressed, especially if the yawns are one right after the other.
Other signs include excessive tooth grinding, licking, and chewing. These behaviors are similar to yawning, in that they allow the horse to vent stress. There is some research that suggests licking and chewing is a response to the horse learning something new, but it can also mean that it is in a high-stress state. One of the most dangerous signs of stress is if your horse bolts down its food - not only is this a sign of stress, there is a risk of choking. If your horse displays any of these behaviors, first check for dental problems, and then look for possible sources of stress.
